Combined electric and pneumatic brake apparatus



Aug. 25, 1936.

J. w, LOGAN. JR.. ET AL COMBINEDELECTRIC AND PNEUMATIC BRAKE APPARATUS 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec 1 8 1936- J. w. LOGAN. JR. r 2.052,201

COMBINED ELECTRIC AND PNEUMATIC BRAKE APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS J O HN W. LOGAN JR. GORGE\N- BAUGHMAN means.

Patentecl Aug. 25, 1936 PATENT on=icr.

COMBINED ELEC'IRIC AND PNEUMA'IIC BRAKE APPARATUS John W. Loganir. Wilkinsburg, and George W.

Baughman, Edgewood, Pa...

assignors to 'lhe Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 1, 1933, Seria.i No. 700,410

21 Claims.

This invention relates to a combinedelectric and pneumatic brake apparatus, and more parti clarly to such an apparatus adapted to produce a. combined friction and eleetro-dynamic braking efiect by electric means and a. i'riction braking efi'ect on1y by pneumatic or other fluid pressure In a copending application of John W. Logan, Jr., for a. Combined friction and electric brake, flieci November7, 1933 and hearing Serial Number 696,993, there was describeci and claimed a brake device in which brake shoes were associated with stator electromagnets, which when energized caused the shoes to be magnetically attracted to, and magnetic flux to be produced in, a. rotor member, thereby producing both a friction and an eddy current braking effect on the rotor when rotating, and a iriction braking efiect thereon when at rest.

'Io produce this latter friction brake effect when the rotor, and hence the vehicle with which the brake device is associated, is at rest, requires that the stator electromagnets be continuously energized during that time. Since the vehicle may have relatively long stop periods the total of the electrical energy consumed by the brakes during these periods may constitute the greater part of the tota.l energy consumed i'onall applications of the brakes. To eii'ect a. saving of the electrical energy used during the stop periods, we propose to provide an 'iinproved brake apparatus of the character referred to, in which the brake apparatus is actuated by electrical means when the vehicle is in motion and by fluid pressure means when the vehicle is at rest. Since it has been common practice heretofore, with respect to railway vehicles, to also include a. iluid pressure brake equipment along with the electric brake equipment, for braking during emergency conditions or at low speeds, it will be obvious that for such vehicles a combined brake apparatus such as we propose wil] save electrical energy without dding equipment over and above that already commonly used, and without incurring en additional oost in operatihg the fluid pressure brake equipment.

It is, thereiore, a general object of our invention to provide a brake apparatuswhich is operable by electric means to produce a combined friction and eddy current braking effect and which is also opera.ble by fluid pressure means to produce a. i'riction brake efl'ect only.

Another object is to provide a brake apparatus of this character in which the braking action on a vehicle is produced by electric means while the vehicle is in motion, and by fluid pressure means while the vehicle is at rest.

A still further object is to provide a brake apparatus of this character in which the degree of braking in bringing a vehicle to a stop is con- 5 trolled by the degree of movement of a single control element, and which will automaticaily change over trom braking produced by electric means to braking produced by fluid pressure means when the vehicle comes to a stop, re gardless ofthe degree of movement of the control element.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the foliowing description, illustrated in the attached drawings and showing one embodiment thereof, in which,

Fig. 1 is a schematic arrangement of the essential apparatus comprising this embodiment.

Fig. 2 illustrates somewhat diagrammatically the form of combined electric and pneumatic brake device used.

Fig. 3 shows en adaptation of the brake device illustrated in Fig. 2 to the trucks of a motor driven vehicle.

Reierring now principally to Fig. 1 of the draw;- ings, in the embodiment there shown we have provided a combined electric and pneumatic brake device I 0, adapted to be controlled by a ioot pedal device I2, in connection with a rheostat device H,

a current interrupter device N, a rectiiler device H, a magnetically controlled valve device 20, a

pneumatically operated circuit breaker 22, and

other apparatus to be referred to subsequently.

The brake device I0 (see also Fig. 2) is provided with a rotor or brake drum 24, which may be rigidly secured to the shaft of a driving motor 26, or to any other shai't or part rotating as a. vehicle moves. Brake shoes 20 are pivotally connectd to levers 30 by links 32 so that they may be moved into and out of frictional engage ment with the brake drum 24 in guides 33 with movement of each lever 30 about a pivot pin 34. The pivot plus 34 support the levers 30 i'rom an end portion of the driving motor 25. Windings 36 are disposed on the links 32 in a marmer such that when the windings are energized a magnetic flux will be produced having a pa.th including the. bralre drum 24, the brake shoes 28, the links 32, the levers 30, the pivot plus 34, and the end portion of the motor 26, all of which are of magnetic materie], such as iron or steel. This magnetic flux wil! cause the brake shoes 28 to be attracted to the rotor 24 as weil as cawing eddy currents to be generated in the rotor, ii rotating,

brake cylinder thereby producing both a friction and an eddy current braking eiect.

The levers 30 also have connected therewith a 38 and a piston md 40, associated with a piston 42 in the brake cylinder, as shown, so that when fluid under pressure is supplied to the brake cylinder the brake shoes 28 are moved into frictional engagement with the brake drum 24. The brake shoes 28 are held in release position by action of spring 44 on the lowermost ends of the levers 30.

The fooi; pedal device I2 is provided with a foot pedal 46 pivotally supported at 48 from a convenient surface 50 and having an arm 52 rigid therewith. The arm 52 is pivotally connected to a bel] crank lever 54, associated with the rheostat device I4, through a link 55, so that depressing the fooi: pedal 46 causes the bell crank lever 54 to operate the rheostat device 14 in a ma.nner and for a purpose hereinafter more fully described. A contact 56 is insulated from and carried by an arm 58 pivotally connected with the arn1 52 by a link 60. The arm 58 is pivotally supported by a. bracket 62 in a manner such that when the fooi. pedal 46 is held in its uppermost or release position by spring 5! the movable contact 56 engages a stationary contact 64 to energize a winding 66 of the valve device 20 from a source of current supply, such as a battery 68, and when the fot pedal 46 is depressed the movable contact 56 moves out of engagement with the contact 64 and engages another stationary contact 10, remaining in engagement therewith for all depres'sed positions of the ifoot pedal, to energize the circuit breaker winding 12 from the battery 68. The object of this action of contact 56 will appear later.

The magnetically operated valve device 20 comprises two similar valve sections 14 and 16, assembled together for convenience, the valves of each section being independently controlled with respect to the other. The valve section 14 comprlsesa valve chamber 13 having constant communication with the brake cylinder 38 by pipe 11; a supply valve 18 secured to a valve stem 15 and cooperating with a valve seat 18 to control the supply of luid under pressure trom supply chamber to the valve chamber 13 and hence to the brake cylinder 38; a release valve 82, also secured to the valve stem 15, and cooperating with a'valve seat 83 to vent the brake cylinder 38 to the atmosphere through chamber 84 and port 85 when the supply valve 18 is in seated position; a spring 86 urging the stern 15 upwardly to unseat the supply valve 18 and seat the release valve 82; and an electromagnet having a winding 88 adapted when energized to attract an armature 88, secured to the end of the valve stern 15, to seat the supply valve 18 and unseat the release valve 82, against resistance of the spring 86 and iiud pressure on the underside of the valve 18.

The valve section 16 comprises a valve chamber 80 having constant communication with the prevously described supply chamber 80 by passage 82; a supply valve 84 secured to a valve stem 86 and cooperating with a valve seat 85 to control the supply -of fluid under pressure from a supply chamber 88 having constant communication with a source of fluid under pressure, as a reservoir 88, to the valve chamber 80, and hence to the valve section 14; a release valve l00, also secured to the valve stem 86. and cooperating with a valve seat 10! to vent the valve cliamber 80 to the atmosphere through chamber I02 and port i04 when the supply valve 84 is in seated position; a spring I06 urging the valve stem 86 upwardly to seat the release valve |00 and unseat the supply valve 84; and a slow release electromagnet having the aforementioned winding 66 adapted when energized to attract an armature I08, secured to the end of the valve stem 86, to seat the supply valve 84 and unseat the re lease valve I00, as shown, against resistance of the spring I06and fluid pressure on the underside of the valve 84, the slow release Ieatre being accomplished in any of a number of well known ways, as for example by placing a short circuited turn in the form of a washer H0 of copper, brass, or the like, between the armature I08 and the adjacent end of the winding 66.

For controlling the degree of braking effect produced by the brake device I0 in accordance with the degree the foot pedal 46 is depressed, the windings 36 of the brake device are connected to a source of power supply in series with the rheo stat device |4 through a trolley I I2, circuit breaker contacts II4, a resistance device 6, and a groimd connection ll8, which, may be a. track, third rail, or the like. The rheostat device |4 may be of any type adapted to vary the current to the windings 36 in accordance with movement of the foot pedai 46, and we have accordingly diagrammatically indicated one well known type at |4 commonly referred to as a carbon pile rheostat. The carbon discS of this device I4 are adapted to be compressed by the bell crank lever 54 as the foot pedal 46 is depressed and to be released as the foot pedal returns toward release position, thus varying the current according to the pressure exerted on the carbon discs, which is in accordance with the movement of the foot pedal 46. The windings 36 may be connected in series, as shown, or in any other rnannerproducing a like effect.

For preventing the brake device I0 trom being operated by fluidunder pressure while it is being operated by electric current supplied thereto and while the vehicle being braked is still in motion. we have provided the interrupter device |6 inductively connected to the winding 88 of the valve device 20 through a transformer |1 and the rectifler device I8, as shown. The interrupter device comprises a rotatable member |20 of insulating material having untormly spaced peripheral contacts |22 thereon adapted to intermittently engage brushes I24 to perlodically interrupt current supplied to the primary winding [28 of the transformer I1, so that a current may be established in the transformer secondary winding I32 of an alternating character corresponding to the interruptions in the prlmary circuit. Current may be supplied to the primary circuit trom the trolley 2 and ground connection Il8 through a current limiting resistance l28. The rotatable member "0 is rigidly secured to the motor shait 21, or to any other part which will cause the rotatable member te be rotated in accordance with the speed of the vehlcle with which the apparatus is associated. 'I'hus the variations in the secondary current will correspond with the speed of the vehicle.

The rectifier device I8 comprises tour valvular units I30, each of which will conduct current only in the direction indicated by the .arrowheads. The units are arranged in the series relation shown.

T li g y may be of anyot the well known types, such for example as the copper oxide type rectiiier unit. The secondary winding I82 and the winding 88 of the valve device 28 are connected to the rectifler device as shown, and it will thus be obvious that the altemating current inducd in the secondary winding l32 will be rectifled by the rectifler device I8 and be delivered to the winding 88, through contacts I34 when closed, as a unidirectional or direct current, producing a uniform pull on the armature 89 to operate the valves 18 and 82 as before described. The contacts |34 form part of a current on" relay having a, winding |38 connected across the resistance device H8 and which is adapted to be energized to close the contacts |34 when current is being supplied to the brake windings 38 through the resistance device H8.

For preventing the brake device 10 from being operated by electric current whle being operated by fiuid under pressure, we have provided the pneumatically operated circuit breaker 22, compris'ing a casing I 38 containing a flexible diaphragm I48 deflning chambers l42 and 143, the chamber l43 having connection with the pipe 'I'l, so that when fiuid under pressure is supplied to the brake cylinder 38 it also flows into the chamber I 43 and operates the diaphragm I 40 to open otherwise closed contacts I 44 in series with the circuit breaker winding 12.

A brake device I8 may be associated with each driving motor of a vehicle, as may be inferred trom Fig. 3. As there shown driving motors 148 and "8 are supported from a truck frame I58 and are in driving relation with the vehicle axles l52 and l54, respectively. A brake device I0 is asso ciated with the motor I48 in the manner a1- ready described, and if desired a similar brake device may be associated with the shaft I58 of the motor "8.

In operation, when the foot pedal 48 isin its uppermost or release position, as shown in Fig. 1, circuit breaker winding 12 will bedeenergized, winding 88 of valve device 28 will be energized to seat supply valve 94, and winding 88 of valve device 28 will be deenergized permitting valve 18 to be unseated, thereby venting brake cylinder 38 to the atmosphere. Since under these conditions neither current nor fiuid under pressure is supplied to the brake device Ill, the brake shoes 28 are held in release position by spring 44.

When it is desired to produce a braking effect on a moving vehicle equipped with the apparatus heretofore described, the foot pedal 48 is depressed to a. degree according to the degree of braking effect desired. Winding 88 is then deenergized, due to separation of contacts 58 and 84, but because of the slow'release characteristic 01' the electromagnet, circuit breaker winding 12 is energized, by engagement of contacts 58 and 18, to close contacts H4 and permit current to be supplied to the brake windings 38 to-produce a. combined riction and eddy current braking efiect, as heretofore described, before supply valve 84 is unseatd. Current flows tothe brake windings 38 through the rheostat device I4, which is controlled by the foot pedal 48, and through the resistance device II8. Current in the resistance device II8 causes the relay winding |38 to be energized thereby ciosing contacts I34. It will be apparent that a pulsating current is supplied to the primary winding |28 of the transformer I'| so long as the vehicle is in motion, by virtue of which the winding 88 of the va1ve device 28 is energized on closing of contacts I34 to seat valve 18 and unseat valve 82, as heretofore described. It is to be understood that the slow release characteristic of the electromagnet having winding 88 is such that when the vehicle is in motion winding 88 is energized toseat va.lve 18 and un- The design of the electromagnet having winding 88 is such that just before the vehicle is brought to a stop through action of the combined friction and eddy current braking effect, the pull on the armatre 89, due to the current in winding 88, is overcome by the combined force exerted by the spring 88 and fiuid pressure on the underside of the valve 18, thereby unseating valve 78 and seating valve 82. Fluid under pressure will therefore flow from the reservoir 99 past the unseated valve 94, through the passageway 92, past the now unseated valve 18 to pipe 11, from whence it flows to both the pneumatically operated circuit breaker 22 and the brake cylinder 38. The circuit breaker 22 opens contacts I44 in the manner already described, whereupon the supbeing operated by fiuid under pressure to hold" the vehicle at rest.

When the vehicle is being held at rest by operation of the brake device 18 by fiuid under pressure, the foot pedal 48 mustbe held in a depressed position, because if allowed to return to release position winding 88 will be energized to seat valve 94 and unseat valve lll0, thereby cutting oi the supply of fiuid under pressure to, and venting, the brake cylinder 38.

If when braking the vehicle by supplying current to the brake windings 38, the supply of electric power should be interrupted, as by a trolley coming 0, failure of power, or tor other reasons, relay winding l36 will be immediately deenergized, opening contacts I34 and deenergizing winding 88, thereby permitting fiuid under pressure to be supplied to the brake cylinder 38 so long as the foot pedal 48 is depressed. Thus upon 2. failure of the current suppiy fiuid under pressure is immediately supplied to operate the brake device Il). In a similar manner, if the supply of fiuid under pressure should fail for any reason, and electric power is still available, the vehicle would be both brought to a stop and held at rest by the supply of electric current to the brake device lil, as the pneumatically operated circuit breaker 22 would not then open contacts I44 and circuit breaker winding 12 would remain energized.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that we have produced a brake apparatus operable by a single control element to produce a combined eddy current and friction brake effect on a vehicle by electric means while the vehicle is in motion, and a friction brake effect by fiuid pressure means While the vehicle is at rest, with provisidn i'or preventing the fluid pressure means trom operating While the electric means is operating, bui, providing for automatic operation of the other upon failure of theone.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it is not our intention to limit its scope to that embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended Having now described ur invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combination with a rotatable brake member and a brake shoe, ot means associated with said shoe for member and an eddy current braking eflect on said member, manually.operated means ifor controlling said last means, and means operable sutomatically and independently of said manually operated means for subsequently rendering said magnetic attraction and eddy current braking effect inefiective and for maintaining said Irictional engagement etl'ective by action of fluid under pressure.

3. In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combination of a brake device operable by electric means to produce a combined friction and eddy current braking efiect and by fluid pressure means to produce a iriction brake eflfect only, a movable control element, means govemed by movement of said element tor controlling producing oi. said combined eilfect by said electric means, and means operable indepehdently of movement of said element for cutting said electric means out of action and cutting said fluid pressure means into actlon.

4. In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combination of a brake device operable by electric. means to produce a combined friction and eddy current braking effect and by fluid pressure means to produce a iriction brake effect only, a movable control element, means govemed by movement oi' said element tor controlling producing of said combined effect by said electric means, and means govemed by a predetermined reduction in said eddy current braking effect ior cutting said electric means out of action and cuttlng said fluid pressure means into action independently of movement of said element.

5. In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combination of a brake device operable by electric means to produce a combined iriction and eddy current braking eifect and by fluid pressure means to produce a constant iriction brake effect only, a movable control element, means 1'or controlling the producing of said combined eil'ect by said electric means in accordance with movement of said element, and means operable independently oi' said control element 1'or automatically cutting said electric means out of action and cutting said fluid pressure means into action when said eddycurrent brake effect diminishes substantially to zero.

6. In a brake apparatus, the combination with a brake device adapted to produce an eddy current braking acti on, of means for producing an electrical effect independently 01' and in accordance with the eflectiveness of said eddy current braking action, and means rendered operable when said electrical effect dirninishes below a predetermined value for rendering said brake device ineiective to produce an eddy current braking action.

'7. In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combina- 5 tion of a brake device adapted to be associated with a vehicle and operable by electric means to produce a combined Iriction and eddy current braking effect and by fluid pressure means to produce a iriction brake eiect only. means for operating said device by said electric means and preventing operation by said fluid pressure means when said vehicle is in motion, and means operable when said vehicle stops ior cutting said electric means out of action and ior cutting said fluid pressure means into action.

8. In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combination of a brake device adapted to be associated with a vehicle and operable by electric means to produce a combined friction and eddy current 20 braking effect and by fluid pressure means to produce a friction brake ei ect on1y, an auxiliary control circuit adapted to be connected m a source of power supply, means govemed by motion of said vehicle for periodically interrupting 25 current flow to said circuit, and electro-responsive means operable by said current interruptions for controlling an operation of said brake device.

9. In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combination of a brake device adapted to be associated 30 with a vehicle and operable by electric means to produce a combined friction and eddy current braking effect and by fluid pressure means to produce a riction brake eflect only, an' auxiliary control circuit adapted to be connected to a soure of power supply, means govemed by motion of said vehicle for periodically interrupting current flow to said circuit, and electro-responsive means operable by said current interruptions for preventing operation of said brake device by said fluid pressure means when operated by said electric means.

10. In a fluid pressure brake systern, the combination with a. brake cylinder, of a magnet valve device operable to effect a supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, a circuit connecting said magnet valve device to a source of current supply, a switch device'adapted to open and close said circuit to deenergize or energize said magnet valve device, and means tor delaying the operation of said magnet valve device when deenerized or energized.

11. In a vehicle brake system, the combination with a brake device operable by electric means and by fluid pressure means, of a circuit for connecting said electric means to I source of current supply, a resistance device in said circuit, means tor controliing the supply of fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure means, and means responsive to the voltage 60 across said resistance device tor controlling said last means.

12. In a vehicle brake system, the combination with a brake cylinder, of a magnet valve device operable to cut 01! the supply of fluid un- 65 der pressure to said brake cylinder, means tot producing a pulsating voltage in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, means for rectifying said voltage, a circuit connecting said last means with said magnet valve device, and a relay 0011- 79 trolling opening and closing of said circuit.

13. In a vehicle brake system, the combination with a brake device operable by electric means and by fluid pressure means, of an electroresponsive valve means operable to control 7 the supply of fluid under pressure to operate said fluid, pressure means, means for producing a puisating voltage in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, means including a circuit responsive to said pulsating voltage or eifecting energization of said electroresponsive valve means, means forsupplying current to operate said electric means, and means responsive to current supplied to said electric means for controlling opening and closing of said circuit.

14. In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combination with a brake device operable by electric means and by fluid pressure means, of means Ior supplying current to said electric means, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure means, means responsive to the supply-of current to said electric means or controlling the supply oi fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure means, and means responsive tothe supply of fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure means i'or controlling the supply of current to said electric means.

15. In a vehicle brake system, in combination, an electric brake device, a circuit for sup- -plying current to said brake device, a circuit breakertor opening and closing said circuit, contacts adapted to be manually operated to eiect operation of said circuit breaker to close said circuit, a brake cylinder, means for suppiying fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, and a pneumatic relay operable by brake cylinder pressure to eflect operation of said circuit breeker to open said circuit.

16. In a. vehicle brake system, the combination with a brake device operabie by electric means and by fluid pressure means, of a circuit Ior suppiying current to said electric means, a

circuit breaker operable when energized to close said circuit, a magnet valve device operable to ei'i'ect a. supply of fluid under pressure to said fluid Pressure means, e. circuit connecting said magnet valve device to a source of current supply to energize said magnet valve device, contacts operable to deenergize said magnet valve device and to efi'ect energization'oif said circuit breclrer, means for delaying operation of sid magnet valve device when deenergized until cur rent has been supplied to said electric means, and means for prevcnting the supply of fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure means when said electric means is eflective.

1'L In a. vehicle brake system, the combination with a brake device having an exciting winding and a brake cylinder, of a circuit for suppiying current to said winding, a circuit breaker for con- -trolling opening and closing of said circuit, a

resi.stance device in said circuit, a transiormer device connected to a. source of current supply,

an interrupter device fox interrupting the supply of current to said transtormer device, a. rectiflr device connected to said transformer device and ednpted to rectiify the output of said transiormer,

said magnet valve device, en electric reiay connected across said resistance device for controlling opening and closing of said last circuit, and a pneumatic re1ay operated by fluid under pressure supplied by said maenet valve device or eflecting an operation of said circuit breaker.

18. In a vehicle brake system, the combination with a brake device having an exciting winding and a brake cylinder, of an auxiliary circuit, an interrupter device in said circuit, a second circuit inductively related to said auxiliary circuit, a. magnet valve device in said second circuit operable to control the supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, a power circuit for supplying current to said winding, and a. reiay responsive to current in said power circuit ifor controliing opening and closing of said second circuit.

19. In a vehicle brake system, the combinetion with a brake device having an exciting winding and. a brake cylinder, of an auxiliary circuit, an interrupter device operated a :cording to the speed of the vehicle and connected in said auxiliary circuit, a second circuit inductively related to said auxiliary circuit, a, magnet valve device operable to control the supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cyiinder and connected in said second circuit, a power circuit adapted to supply current to said exciting winding, a. reiay responsive to current in said power circuit foi: controlling opening and closing of said second circuit, a circuit breaker for controlling said power circuit, and a switch device responsive to the supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder for controliing energization of said circuit breaker.

20. In a vehicle brake system, in combination, brake means, current responsive means for controlling said brake means, a transformer device having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a first circuit for connecting said secondary winding to said current responsive means, a. source of direct current supply, a second circuit for supplying current t'o said primary winding, and contact means ior intermittently connecting said second circuit to said source of supply.

21. In combination, vehicle control means, electroresponsive means for controlling said control means, a. transformer device having a primer-y winding and a secondary winding, a iirst circuit for connecting said seconda'ry winding to said JOHN W. LOGAN, Jll. GEORGE W. BAUGEM'AN. 

